Latching mechanism for file rod pull and cabinet containing same



Dec. 31, 1963 s. STARK LATCHING MECHANISM FOR FILE ROD PULL AND CABINETCONTAINING SAME Filed Sept. 22, 1960 K w MW Mm 1 e m m a 6 4 4 s H E 0AM HT FY .1 e 4 L 0 o L 4 7 AT /W Hn C .v. A .1 A QM; T a t L a a UnitedStates Patent 3,115,881 LATCHING MECHANISM FUR FILE ROD lULL AND CABHNETCONTAINING SAME Forest G. Stark, Jamestown, N.Y., assignor to Art Metal,Inc., Jamestown, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 22, 1960,Ser. No. 57,758 3 Claims. ((11. 129-16) This invention relates tocabinets, particularly filing cabinets. More particularly, thisinvention relates to filing cabinets containing a file rod running alongthe bottom of a drawer thereof and a file rod pull attached to the frontend of the file rod. Still more particularly, this invention relates toa latching mechanism for a file rod pull.

It is desirable in the manufacture of cabinets, such as filing cabinetsand the like, that the finished product presents a neat and attractiveappearance. It is also desirable that the front face of such cabinetscontains none or a minimum of projections thereon so as to reduce oreliminate the possibility of garments of personnel working around thefiling cabinets catching in these projections and causing damage to thegarments and/ or injury to the personnel.

Filing cabinets usually have therein a file rod for attachment to or usein connection with indexing or filing cards. These file rods are usuallyattached or fixed to a file rod pull extending outwardly from the frontface of the cabinet and the resulting projection is sometimes a sourceof annoyance and danger to personnel working with the files.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cabinet, such as a filingcabinet, having a neat and clean appearance.

It is another object of this invention to provide a latching mechanismfor a file rod pull such that the front face or panel of the cabinetcontaining the same is unmarred by a projection extending outwardy fromthe face thereof.

It is another object of this invention to provide a relatively simpleand eflicient latching mechanism for a file rod pull.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a cabinet having acentrally positioned, simple, effective latching mechanism for a filerod pull therein and wherein no projections appear on the front face ofthe cabinet due to the latching mechanism of the file rod pull and/ orthe file rod pull itself.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a flush typelatching mechanism for a file rod pull.

How these and other objects of this invention are achieved will becomeapparent in the light of the accompanying disclosure and drawings whichillustrate one embodiment of this invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a cabinet provided with a laching mechanismfor a file rod pull in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevation view of the cabinet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial cross sectional view taken along lineIII-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view taken along line IVIVof FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a back view of the latching mechanism of this inventionillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a latching mechanismfor a file rod pull particularly useful in a cabinet having a drawerprovided with a file rod, wherein the file rod pull is flush with thefront or front face of the cabinet drawer and cabinet. Moreparticularly, in accordance with this invention there is provided alatching mechanism for a file rod pull capable of being installed in acabinet and fiushly mounted with respect to the front face thereof. Thecomplete assembly comprises a file rod fixed to the back of a file rodpull, said pull being mounted 3,115,881 Patented Dec. 31, 1963 "ice anddisposed with respect to said cabinet, particularly the front face ofthe drawer provided with a file rod and file rod pull therefor, suchthat the front of the file rod pull when the file rod pull'is in latchedposition, is substantially flush with the front face of the drawer orcabinet within which the file rod pull is mounted. Means are alsoprovided in accordance with this invention for releasably holding saidfile rod pull in latched position with respect to the cabinet and thedrawer thereof within which the file rod pull is mounted so that thefront of said file rod pull is maintained in a position flush withrespect to the front of said drawer and cabinet. Means are also providedin accordance with this invention associated with said file rod pull tourge said file rod pull into engagement with said holding means tobetter maintain said file rod pull in the latched position.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of thisinvention, there is illustrated a cabinet drawer generally indicated byreference numeral 1, the cabinet drawer being provided with mountings201 and 2b. One of the mountings, such as mounting 2a is adapted for theinsertion and holding of a drawer identification card therein and theother of said mountings, such as mounting 2b, serves to outline arecessed portion in drawer front 4 for grasping in order to pull outdrawer 1 from the cabinet or frame within which it is mounted.

Cabinet drawer 1 comprises side walls 3 and cabinet or drawer front 4made up of a front wall 4a and a rear wall 4b. Recess 5 is provided inthe cabinet front 4- through front Wall 4a within which is located filerod pull 6, the front 6a of file rod pull 6 being substantially flushwith front wall 4a of cabinet front 4. File rod 7 is fixed at its frontend by suitable means such as by being threadedly engaged into the back6b of file rod pull 6, the back end of file rod 7 being inserted inholderguide 3 mounted on the rear Wall 9 of drawer 1.

As illustrated, top 6c of file rod pull 6 is provided with anindentation or groove 6d extending transversely thereof across the fullwidth of file rod pull 6. The bottom 6e of file rod pull 6 is curveddownwardly and inwardly from the back 6b to the front 6a so that thefront portion of file rod pull 6 is thicker than the rear portion. Thebottom edge of front wall 4a of drawer front 4 at the top of recess 5therein is provided with an inwardly and downwardly depending flange 10which is adapted to be releasably engaged in groove 6d of file rod pull6 when the file rod pull 6 is in the latched position illustrated in thedrawings.

Biasing means are also provided and associated with the latchingmechanism assembly of this invention to maintain file rod pull 6 in thelatched position. The biasing means comprises elongated bar or wire 11carried between its crimped ends 11a within suitable openings providedwithin flanges or tab portions 12a of intermediate wall 12 of drawerfront 4 located intermediate front wall 4a and rear wall 4b thereof. Asillustrated in the drawings, see particularly FIGS. 3-5, rear wall 4b iscut out to provide a substantial opening within which file rod pull 6and file rod 7 are centrally located at about the bottom of drawer 1. Itis thus seen that bar 11 when in contact with bottom surface 6e of filerod pull 6 tends to urge file rod pull 6 upwardly as illustrated in thedrawings so as to better maintain releasable holding means or flange 10engaged or fitted within groove 6d across the top 6c of file rod pull 6.

In the operation of the file rod latching device of this invention, whenit is desired to remove file rod 7 from drawer 1, drawer 1 is Withdrawnfrom its surrounding cabinet or frame by reaching within the recessedportion 2b of drawer front 4 and drawing drawer 1 outwardly for asutficient distance to expose the bottom 62 of file rod pull 6 is thengrasped and file pull 6 withdrawn out of 3 recess 5. As file rod pull 6is withdrawn outwardly from within recess 5 releasable holding means orflange is moved out of groove 6d at the top 6c of file rod pull 6. Asfile rod pull 6 is so moved it carries with it file rod 7.

After a suitable adjustment has been made in the file cards or indexcards associated with file rod 7, file rod pull 6 together with file rod7 is reinserted into drawer 1. As file rod pull 6 is pushed back intorecess 5 in the direction so that the rear end of file rod 7 tends toenter holder 8 mounted on the rear wall of drawer 1, bar 11 comes intocontact with the bottom surface 66 of file rod pull 6. Upon furthermovement of file rod pull 6 within recess 5 bar 11 in contact withcurved bottom surface 6c of file rod pull 6 tends to urge file rod pull6 upwardly within recess 5. At the same time as file rod pull 6 movesinto recess 5, flange 10 rides along the top 60 of file rod pull 6 untilit comes into engagement with groove 6d. When flange 18 enters groove 6ain top 60 of file rod pull 6, file rod pull 6 is in latched position,front 6a of file rod 6 being substantially flush with front wall 4a ofdrawer front 4. File rod pull 6 is maintained in latched position underthe urging of bar 11 which presses upwardly against bottom surface 62 offile rod pull 6 to better maintain flange 10 in engagement within groove6d.

It is thus seen that there is provided in accordance with this inventiona simple, effective file rod pull and latching mechanism thereforeparticularly suitable for use in a cabinet provided with a drawercontaining a file rod, the file rod pull and latching mechanismtherefore being adapted so as not to present any outward projection onthe front surface of a cabinet or drawer containing the same.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of theaccompanying disclosure many modifications, changes, alterations andsubstitutions are possible in the practice of this invention withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope thereof.

I claim:

1. A filing drawer comprising a drawer front having a front wall and arear wall, said rear wall of said drawer front being spaced from saidfront wall, said front wall being provided with a centrally locatedrecess at the bottom thereof and extending to the bottom edge, a filerod pull, a file rod fixed to the back of said pull, said file rod pullbeing fitted within said recess and between said front wall and saidrear wall, the front of said file rod pull being substantially fiat,said drawer front being substantially flush with said fiat front of saidfile rod pull and the bottom edge of said pull being substantially inline with the bottom edge of said front wall, said file rod extendingthrough an opening in said rear wall, said file rod pull being providedwith gripping means comprising a bottom surface extending substantiallyhorizontally from the back of said pull toward the front of said pulland then extending downwardly to the bottom edge of said pull so thatthe upper portion of said pull is thicker than the lower portion of saidpull, the top of said pull being provided with an indentation therein,releasable holding means on said drawer front wall releasably fitted insaid indentation and biasing means in said drawer front adapted tocontact the substantially horizontal portion of the bottom surface ofsaid pull to urge said pull upwardly to retain said releasable holdingmeans fitted in said indentation, said downwardly extending surfaceportion of said gripping means extending below said biasing means andadapted to be engaged by a finger to withdraw said file rod pull fromsaid recess.

2. A filing drawer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said releasableholding means is an inwardly and downwardly depending flange portion ofsaid front wall of said drawer front.

3. A filing drawer in accordance with claim 1 wherein said releasableholding means is an inwardly and downwardly depending flange portion ofsaid front wall of said drawer front and wherein said biasing means isan elongated element extending transversely with respect to the bottomsurface of said file rod pull and positioned intermediate said frontwall and said rear wall of said drawer front.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS533,988 Hall Feb. 2, 1895 562,950 Crane June 30, 1896 1,678,357 SampsonJuly 24, 1928 1,918,428 Roscoe July 18, 1933 2,523,722 Saaf et a1 Sept.26, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,051 Great Britain May 8, 1908 27,774 GreatBritain 1911

1. A FILLING DRAWER COMPRISING A DRAWER FRONT HAVING A FRONT WALL AND AREAR WALL, SAID REAR WALL OF SAID DRAWER FRONT BEING SPACED FROM SAIDFRONT WALL, SAID FRONT WALL BEING PROVIDED WITH A CENTRALLY LOCATEDRECESS AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF AND EXTENDING TO THE BOTTOM EDGE, A FILEROD PULL, A FILE ROD FIXED TO THE BACK OF SAID PULL, SAID FILE ROD PULLBEING FITTED WITHIN SAID RECESS AND BETWEEN SAID FRONT WALL AND SAIDREAR WALL, THE FRONT OF SAID FILE ROD PULL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT,SAID DRAWER FRONT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH SAID FLAT FRONT OF SAIDFILE ROD PULL AND THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID PULL BEING SUBSTANTIALLY INLINE WITH THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID FRONT WALL, SAID FILE ROD EXTENDINGTHROUGH AN OPENING IN SAID REAR WALL, SAID FILE ROD PULL BEING PROVIDEDWITH GRIPPING MEANS COMPRISING A BOTTOM SURFACE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLYHORIZONTALLY FROM THE BACK OF SAID PULL TOWARD THE FRONT OF SAID PULLAND THEN EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID PULL SO THATTHE UPPER PORTION OF SAID PULL IS THICKER THAN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAIDPULL, THE TOP OF SAID PULL BEING PROVIDED WITH AN INDENTATION THEREIN,RELEASABLE HOLDING MEANS ON SAID DRAWER FRONT WALL RELEASABLY FITTED INSAID INDENTATION AND BIASING MEANS IN SAID DRAWER FRONT ADAPTED TOCONTACT THE SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PORTION OF THE BOTTOM SURFACE OFSAID PULL TO URGE SAID PULL UPWARDLY TO RETAIN SAID RELEASABLE HOLDINGMEANS FITTED IN SAID INDENTATION, SAID DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING SURFACEPORTION OF SAID GRIPPING MEANS EXTENDING BELOW SAID BIASING MEANS ANDADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY A FINGER TO WITHDRAW SAID FILE ROD PULL FROMSAID RECESS.